Hope is an Empty Eggshell
by Chaos Chao
Summary: ...That's what made the dark into Darkness. Love, coupled with rejection... Please read, very nice story. Rating based on new adjustments, with R replacing NC17 as the highest rating. Yaoi warning. FINISHED
1. Darkest Heart

My first fic!  
  
Yami:I read ahead. You're creepy, you know that?  
  
Yes, yes I am. You care?  
  
Yami: You made me a sap!  
  
No, that's the suspense. What i'm going to do to you is way worse!  
  
Yami: Great... --;  
  
Read the disclaimer, or i'm setting you up with Seto!  
  
Yami: OO;; GOD NO! Gimmie that!  
  
::Chaos Chao owns not Yugioh::  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter One - Darkest Heart  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was a dark and stormy night. Lighting flashed while thunder rumbled, causing all   
  
  
  
those foolish enough to go outside to start running for shelter. They scurried about,   
  
  
  
covering their heads from the rain, ignorant of the one person that watched the storm from   
  
  
  
the safety of a window. I listened to the rain pattering against the glass. As lighting   
  
  
  
and thunder hit suddenly, I turned to observe the room's only other occupant. He slept   
  
  
  
deeply, not even the roar of the elements disturbing his slumber. I smiled a little, seeing   
  
  
  
the one for whom I cared so much at peace. Indeed, while he slept was the only time his   
  
  
  
mind was ever at peace anymore. Then I turned back to watch the storm. The chaos outside   
  
  
  
seemed to match my mood perfectly, these days. Love, coupled with rejection. Just because   
  
  
  
the display outside was strangely beautiful didn't mean you enjoyed going out there. I   
  
  
  
sighed, leaning back in my chair. I loved my Light beyond words, loved him as only half a   
  
  
  
soul could love. Darkness was always attracted to Light; though the same could never be   
  
  
  
said the other way around. Light, by it's very nature, was repelled by Darkness. That's   
  
  
  
what made the dark into Darkness - Love, coupled with rejection. I loved him, my heart   
  
  
  
ached with that love, and he feared and rejected me, associating with me out of dire   
  
  
  
necessity only. The negative feelings both crippled me and strengthened me: Darkness can   
  
  
  
only feed off negative energy, as Light can only feed off positive energy. But rejection   
  
  
  
was the purest poison where matters of the heart were concerned. I knew of another, his   
  
  
  
heart wasted by the Darkness within himself. That one sought power to fill the gaping hole   
  
  
  
where kinder feelings had once resided, and he sought it by causing pain and fear. He   
  
  
  
caused pain so he wouldn't feel any himself. I could have chosen that path, but I was not   
  
  
  
that far gone. Though buried, kindness and love still lived within me. And that's what had   
  
  
  
drawn me to the storm. I hated myself for causing my Aibou any pain. I loved him too much   
  
  
  
to burden him any longer with my Darkness. I got up and silently walked to my Aibou's   
  
  
  
bedside. He was lying very still, with his light snores being drowned out by the thunder.   
  
  
  
Ever so gently, I reached out and ran a finger down the side of his face. He didn't stir,   
  
  
  
which was just as well. My leaving might have bothered him, especially if I woke him late   
  
  
  
at night just to tell him. "Sayonara, Hikari no Tenshi." I whispered the words to Yugi, my   
  
  
  
Aibou, and walked out the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Yami: I ran away?  
  
No, you walked out! Isn't it beautiful?  
  
Yugi: Hey, what about me?  
  
Shh! You're in the next chapter!  
  
Yugi: Oh. Okay.  
  
C'mon, review this please!  
  
Yami: Trust me, you don't want to know what happens without feedback.  
  
*Evil laughter*  
  
Yami: See what I mean? 


	2. Hurts Me So

Yahoo! People reviewed! People reviewed!  
  
Yami:It's just five reviews. What's so interesting about that?  
  
That's five reasons for me not to do unspeakable things to you!  
  
Yami:Uh...  
  
People want a nice, happy Yami/Yugi fic! They'll get there eventually, but what's a story without...duh duh dun...DRAMA!  
  
Yugi:So, I hate him? Why?  
  
Oh, you know...you think he's evil! Must I explain everything?  
  
Yami:I want to know how you can do this and still have a C average.  
  
Uh, well, it's kinda more like a D - HOLD UP! Nobody wants to hear you two whining! Disclaimer! Now!  
  
Yami:No way.  
  
Yugi:I'll do it!  
  
Good boy. Here, have a candy bar for being the best muse any authoress could want!  
  
Yami:WHAT?! But I thought I was your favorite!  
  
Then do it.  
  
::Chaos Chao doesn't own Yuigoh::  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Two - Hurts Me So...  
  
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I hadn't really been dreaming or anything for some reason that night. So when I   
  
  
  
heard the soft voice speaking, I wasn't sure if I was finally dreaming or something else   
  
  
  
going on. The voice seemed familiar somehow, like I had known it before but it had changed   
  
  
  
slightly. It was a sad voice. It said, "Sayonara, Hikari no Tenshi," and then I thought I   
  
  
  
heard light footsteps and a door shutting. Groggily, I opened my eyes and sat up. It was   
  
  
  
very early in the morning, maybe three-thirty even. Looking towards the window revealed the   
  
  
  
storm that had started up late last evening had really picked up since I went to bed. Then   
  
  
  
I noticed something odd. There was a chair right in front of the window. I hadn't put a   
  
  
  
chair there. It looked like someone had been sitting there to look out the window. But   
  
  
  
Grandpa was still on his trip, and he wasn't going to be back for another two days. That   
  
  
  
left…Yami. I knew he could go around on his own, though he seemed to prefer not to. I   
  
  
  
grabbed the Millennium Puzzle from the peg it hung on at night, and pulled it on, hoping to   
  
  
  
get a sense of what Yami had been up to. Imagine my surprise when I couldn't sense him at   
  
  
  
all. He wasn't in the Puzzle, and our connection had been closed. I went downstairs,   
  
  
  
looked all over the house. The front door was unlocked, not how I had left it after closing   
  
  
  
the shop. Yami was gone. My reaction was one of relief. Yami was gone! I didn't have to   
  
  
  
worry about him getting out of control ever again! Since I was fairly certain I wasn't   
  
  
  
getting back to sleep, I went to make myself some breakfast. It wasn't a school day, so I   
  
  
  
opened the Shop at the normal time. The storm had died down some, but no one seemed to be   
  
  
  
out. Joey showed up after an hour to prove me mostly wrong. "Man, I'm soaked! Yug, you   
  
  
  
got a towel I can borrow?" "Sure, here you go," I said as I gave him the towel. He must   
  
  
  
have noticed something, because as he dried himself off he said, "You're looking pretty   
  
  
  
cheerful for a rainy day. What's up?" I thought about it for a second, then simply said,   
  
  
  
"Yami's gone." "What? He's gone? Gone where?" "Gone away, hopefully for good! No more   
  
  
  
worrying about evil spirits, no more Shadow Realm problems, and thank goodness for that!"   
  
  
  
Joey blinked, like he couldn't believe I was serious. I was dead serious. I had stuffed   
  
  
  
the Puzzle into a drawer the moment I had realized Yami was gone. The Puzzle itself was a   
  
  
  
gift from Grandpa, so I wasn't about to get rid of it. Joey had just noticed it missing.   
  
  
  
"You got rid of the Puzzle?" "It's in a drawer," I said. "Yami left, and I took it off."   
  
  
  
"Yug, not for nothing, but I gotta ask ya one thing. Did Yami leave on his own?" "Yes, so   
  
  
  
what?" Joey didn't say anything to that, but after handing back the towel he mumbled   
  
  
  
something about meeting up with Tristan and left.  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
I walked through the storm. Not many people were out and about, with the weather as   
  
  
  
it was. It suited me just fine. The last thing I needed right now was other people. I   
  
  
  
walked, not knowing where I was going and not really caring. Leaving Yugi was the most   
  
  
  
painful thing I could ever do to myself. "He's happier now," I muttered to myself. "He   
  
  
  
didn't want me. It's better for him this way." Briefly, I wondered who I was kidding.   
  
  
  
Sure, Aibou was going to live the nice, normal live he complained about not having, but what   
  
  
  
was I supposed to do? I happen to be an immortal spirit. Besides being a part of Yugi, the   
  
  
  
only thing I've ever been was Pharaoh of Egypt. What use was being a 5000 year-old King of   
  
  
  
Games in this day and age? As the wind picked up, I hugged my jacket closer around my body   
  
  
  
and pressed on. I was cold, I was wet, and I was alone. Only a slight improvement on being   
  
  
  
trapped in the Puzzle for centuries. I found myself walking past the entrance to the park,   
  
  
  
and on impulse I went in. Nobody was in the park besides me, I noted, as I made my way to a   
  
  
  
section completely concealed by trees. There, the branches spread to form a leaky roof.   
  
  
  
There was a small boulder in the clearing, against which I sat. It was uncomfortable, but   
  
  
  
better than nothing at all. I stayed there for hours, wrapping my arms around myself and   
  
  
  
staring into space.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Yami:I hereby protest that you made me a sap.  
  
Yugi:I liked it!  
  
Yami:Because nothing bad happened to _you_.  
  
Yugi:^___^  
  
Okay, let's give it up for reviewers! The bestest people in the whole wide world!  
  
Yami:Flattery gets you nowhere.  
  
What I said before still stands...  
  
Yami:00; Okay, okay! My remarks are withdrawn!  
  
Yugi:What? What did she say?  
  
Yami:Ah, moving along - please review! 


	3. Echoes of the Fallen

Oh Joy! Oh Rapture!  
  
Yami:She's going to be like this for a while, thanks a lot.  
  
Yugi:I still don't get why I don't like you in this fic.  
  
Yami:No problem, I swiped her notes when she started going all happy after seeing seven brand new reviews.  
  
Yugi:*reads* So, I'm just stupidly paranoid?  
  
Yep! And in this chapter I bring in the heavy weaponary - GUILT!  
  
Yami:I'm not even in this chapter!  
  
Well, you kinda are - but if I say anymore it'll spoil it! You can do the disclaimer if you want...  
  
Yami:Whatever.  
  
::Chaos Chao only owns this plotline and half a website, NOT Yugioh::  
  
Yugi:How can you only have half a website?  
  
Shhh! Fic time now, that stuff later!  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Three - Echoes of the Fallen  
  
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After Joey left, it only took two more hours to prove that nobody else was going to   
  
  
  
come to the Shop. So I hung the Closed Sign and locked the door. I turned on the answering   
  
  
  
machine, and out of habit more than anything else I pulled the Millennium Puzzle out and put   
  
  
  
it on. Yep, Yami was gone. All of a sudden, I felt kind of bad. He was probably wandering   
  
  
  
around in the rain, all alone…I shook my head. He was dark and he hurt people, it was good   
  
  
  
he was gone! I sat back on the couch, my early morning finally catching up with me. I   
  
  
  
closed my eyes, and then I opened them and…I wasn't on the couch. I was in my Soul Room.   
  
  
  
It looked almost identical to my normal bedroom. Checking revealed nothing out of the   
  
  
  
ordinary. As I thought about that, my gaze drifted to the Door. It lead to Yami's Soul   
  
  
  
Room, I knew. Out of more curiosity than anything else, I went over and opened it.   
  
  
  
Outside, there was a blank white area. My Door shut behind me, the usual colors swirling   
  
  
  
around it. I walked over to the other door. It was made of dark stone. Cautiously, I   
  
  
  
pulled it open. It was stiff and rusted, like it hadn't been used in a very long time.   
  
  
  
Come to think of it, I hadn't let Yami come out at all for a month, at least. The few times   
  
  
  
he went around on his own, I had gotten pretty mad. I went inside, and I didn't enjoy what   
  
  
  
I saw. Everything was dark. There was a dark mist obscuring what little I could see. And   
  
  
  
Yami had had to actually _live_ in this place? I shuddered as I made my way around. There   
  
  
  
was one piece of furniture - a hard bench. And there were many pillars. They were all   
  
  
  
various colors, but the colors were all muted. In all, it was pretty gloomy. I leaned   
  
  
  
against one of the pillars to think, but instantly I was transported somewhere else.  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
I waited, nervous. I could feel the last pieces being brought together, even if I   
  
  
was still trapped in a pit of black. The final piece went into place, and I felt - oh, it's   
  
  
impossible to describe accurately. Whatever it was, it was beautiful, it made me feel whole   
  
  
and there was light, something I hadn't seen in so long…As I adjusted, I could sense   
  
  
something else. It was a person, the one that had released me. Then everything shifted and   
  
  
I wasn't just me, I was part of him too. It was a confusing turn of events, to be sure…  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
  
I yelped as I suddenly was back in Yami's Soul Room again. That pillar had been   
  
  
  
holding a memory! That would explain why there were so many. I thought about that memory.   
  
  
  
It had been from when I had first solved the Millennium Puzzle, but entirely from Yami's   
  
  
  
perspective. The pillar itself was made of a white metal. I peered closely at it. It was   
  
  
  
made of white gold, which is very rare. I looked around and saw another white pillar. This   
  
  
  
time, I only pressed my hand against it.  
  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
I played the card, and Yugi appeared, dressed in a tiny version of the Dark   
  
  
Magician's outfit. He looked around, very confused. I quickly finished the move he had   
  
  
been executing. "And I'll play a magic card that lets me revive monsters from the   
  
  
Graveyard. Reborn the Monster!" I played it and Tristan reappeared. He looked to be in   
  
  
shock. "Joey? Yugi? You dreaming this too?" "Nah, this ain't no dream Tristan. This is   
  
  
me going insane. It's all one big delusion," Joey said. "But just one second ago I was up   
  
  
there," Yugi pointed out. They turned to face me. "Yeah, if you're down here, who's that   
  
  
up there?" "I don't know," Yugi said. "Don't you?" I asked. "Well," Yugi said, "I have   
  
  
noticed, that when I duel, it's like someone else is guiding me." I nodded encouragingly,   
  
  
and Yugi turned to his friends. "And sometimes, It's like I can hear a strong voice calling   
  
  
out to me from my Millennium Puzzle. I'm not sure what it's all about, but I'm pretty   
  
  
certain we can trust him." Joey spoke up. "Hey, if the big guy's okay in your book, then   
  
  
he's okay by me." Tristan nodded in agreement…  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
  
I blinked hard. Yami's feelings had completely taken me by surprise. He had been   
  
  
  
worried when I had appeared on the field, and then when I wasn't sure if we could trust him   
  
  
  
he had been so…nervous. He had been scared that _I_ wouldn't trust him. It was quite an   
  
  
  
eye-opener. Something occurred to me, and I walked over to a different pillar. This one   
  
  
  
was copper in color. If for him, white-gold meant a really good memory, what did the other   
  
  
  
colors represent? I reached out and touched it.  
  
  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
We had reached a stalemate. Kaiba had his Ultimate Blue-Eyes, with two rotting   
  
  
heads and one at full power, and we had the Kuribo barrier and the Celtic Guardian in attack   
  
  
mode. Kaiba was threatening to throw himself off the side of the castle if Yugi attacked,   
  
  
claiming something about a 'shock wave'. I didn't fall for that ploy - the man had walked   
  
  
backwards to his current perch, stopped without checking behind him, and the head we had cut   
  
  
off before didn't make any sort of shock wave. Meanwhile, his dragon's Neutron Blast had   
  
  
nearly blow us clear off the wall! There was no chance of him getting knocked off by our   
  
  
attack. I wanted to attack, but Yugi was completely against it. That surprised me - he   
  
  
really thought our attack would hurt Kaiba. We ended up in a rather unpleasant struggle for   
  
  
control. I was going to attack and prove it wouldn't hurt the other man, he wanted to   
  
  
figure out an alternate way of winning. But with our deck running as low as it was, too   
  
  
much delay would mean we'd run out of cards and lose anyway! I ordered the Celtic Guardian   
  
  
to attack. As he began charging forward, Taya began yelling. "You can't do this! You   
  
  
can't take this risk, Yugi!" /She's right,/ Yugi said, and without further warning I was   
  
  
ripped violently out of the body and pitched back into the darkness of my Soul Room.   
  
  
Besides the large amount of physical pain this caused me, the emotional pain was worse.   
  
  
Yugi called off the attack and collapsed in a sobbing heap as Kaiba destroyed the Celtic   
  
  
Guardian. I couldn't understand it - what did I do wrong?  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
  
  
I gasped and yanked my hand away, tears welling in the corners of my eyes. That one   
  
  
  
event had permanently changed the relationship between Yami and me. And after all this   
  
  
  
time, he _hadn't_ just been playing to win, like I had always thought. He had estimated the   
  
  
  
physical danger to Kaiba, found it in acceptable limits, and _only_then_ had he pressed the   
  
  
  
attack. He might have overestimated Kaiba's skills, but he had accounted for that as best   
  
  
  
he could. And when I had retaken control and slammed the door on him, _he_had_no_way_of_   
  
  
  
_knowing_why_. It really made me feel like a heel, to massively understate it.  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
See? I TOLD you - guilt! Get's em every time!  
  
Yugi:*sniffle*  
  
Yami:Now look what you've done - you made Aibou cry!  
  
Uh, or it might be the onion and peanut butter sandwich he's trying to make...  
  
Yugi:It's kind of both. Do you have any mustard or dill pickles?  
  
Yami:That's not a pleasant image I'm getting over here.  
  
Yeah, I like my onion and peanut butter sandwiches with barbeque sauce and anchovies.  
  
Yami:Now both of you are grossing me out!  
  
Yugi and me: ^_^  
  
Review this, ya'll! 


	4. Why are you Running Away?

Yami: Why!?!? Why did you encourage her!?!?!  
  
Oh, quit being a baby! At least you're _in_ this chappy!  
  
Yami: Only because you like doing evil things to me!  
  
Yugi: You should see what she's doing to me! I'm totally OOC in this!  
  
Yami: *reads ahead* Yeah, but during those moments it's in _my_ POV! So _i'm_ the one that suffers!  
  
Hey, without it it wouldn't be a torrid love st- AGH! FORGET YOU HEARD THAT!  
  
Yami and Yugi: What? What?  
  
Forget it - just do the disclaimer! Now!  
  
::Chaos Chao ownth not Yu-Gi-Oh::  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Four - Why are you running away?  
  
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I had stayed in that little clearing all day. Actually, at one or two points I   
  
  
  
dozed off, only to wake up from nightmares where Yugi was ripping apart the Puzzle and   
  
  
  
sending me back to that awful black pit…just the memory made me shudder. But now it was   
  
  
  
getting dark, and though the rain had died down to a drizzle I wasn't particularly fond of   
  
  
  
the idea of sleeping in the park. So I pushed myself up, briefly cursing when I discovered   
  
  
  
both my legs were asleep. After waking them up I staggered out of the park. Even though   
  
  
  
the rain was mostly gone, it was a lot colder than I liked. I shivered, then sneezed.   
  
  
  
Great, the _last_ thing I needed right now was to get sick! As I made my way along the   
  
  
  
streets, I glared at the houses with undeniable envy. And since somesome things just can't   
  
  
  
be helped, I walked on. I was finally admitting to myself that I had no idea where I was   
  
  
  
going when I heard someone speaking. "Yugi?" I looked, and much to my personal dismay I   
  
  
  
saw Taya staring at me. Her eyes widened when she realized exactly who she was speaking to.   
  
  
  
"Yami? What -" I didn't give her a chance to finish the question. Instead I continued   
  
  
  
walking. Much to my annoyance, she followed me. "Yami! Wait up!" I toyed with the idea   
  
  
  
of actually stopping and talking with her, but decided against it. Yugi wanted me out of   
  
  
  
his life entirely - that meant not associating with his friends. Taya, a sheer force of   
  
  
  
nature when stubborn, got in front of me and blocked my way. "Yami, stop and talk to me!"   
  
  
  
I sighed, and though I didn't walk off I did avoid meeting her eyes. "I got a call from   
  
  
  
Joey saying you left Yugi! Did you really leave him?" I nodded. "Really? Why did you   
  
  
  
leave? And why didn't you come to one of us? You look like you went swimming with your   
  
  
  
clothes on." I didn't have an answer for that. That seemed to not satisfy Taya. "Yami,   
  
  
  
look at me. _Why_did_you_leave_?" She even had to ask? I gave her the only answer I could,   
  
  
  
which was to meet her eyes. Judging from the shock on her face, she could tell. And so I   
  
  
  
walked past her, turning the nearest corner and then several more in order to lose   
  
  
  
her. During which I became lost myself. After a few more hours, I found a place to spend   
  
  
  
the night. Being curled up in a wooden packing crate was not one of my better experiences.   
  
  
  
I'm not sure how I managed to sleep, but I did.  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After that copper pillar, I left Yami's Soul Room entirely. My feelings of   
  
  
  
lousiness were not helped when I saw several messages on the machine. I played them back,   
  
  
  
one at a time. "Yo Yugi, it's Tristan. Joey said you got rid of Yami. I have exactly one   
  
  
  
thing to say about that. Ahem. WHAT IN *bleep* WERE YOU THINKING, YOU *bleep* !?!?!?!?!?!   
  
  
  
Oh, and call me back." "Yugi, it's Ryou. Joey called me and told me about you and your   
  
  
  
Yami. I don't feel it's my place to say anything, but I don't see why this had to happen.   
  
  
  
*background noise* What? Oh. Uh, my Yami wants to know if you still want to keep the   
  
  
  
Millennium Puzzle. I think he's joking, but…you know him." "Yugi, this is Taya. I'm   
  
  
  
calling from Tristan's house. Joey called me about Yami this morning, but I didn't believe   
  
  
  
it until an hour ago. Because then I ran into Yami. Yugi, I really think you need to find   
  
  
  
him, and the sooner the better." I deleted all the messages. Then I noticed my stomach   
  
  
  
growling, plus how late it was. Grabbing a quick snack, I went to bed. But after flopping   
  
  
  
down on the bed and barely blinking, I was back in my Soul Room. I wanted to stay there,   
  
  
  
but something drew me to Yami's Room. I suppose it was my curiosity acting up. After all,   
  
  
  
I wasn't sure why Yami had left me to begin with. Walking amongst the pillars, I gingerly   
  
  
  
reached out to touch a rust-red one.  
  
  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
Seth was by my side, as always. Sitting on the throne all the time was usually   
  
  
boring, but this case proved to be interesting. The guards hauled the white-haired lad   
  
  
between them and dumped him in front of me. "This boy was caught stealing from the Royal   
  
  
Palace," Seth told me. "The punishment for thievery is death by beheading." I raised my   
  
  
hand, stopping the guards from merely hauling their prisoner off. I turned to see Seth's   
  
  
ice-blue eyes boring into me. "Your Highness?" He asked the rest of the question in his   
  
  
gaze. "I believe it is _my_ job to pass judgment on these things, Seth." My voice was bored,   
  
  
but held a knife edge underneath. Turning back to the others, I asked, "What did he steal?"   
  
  
"Uh, actually," the guard said, "He was apprehended before anything was taken." "Indeed?   
  
  
And what, may I ask, tipped you off to arrest him?" The guards faces went blank as they   
  
  
tried to remember, which proved my suspicions correct. I got up and walked right up to the   
  
  
bound prisoner. "Your name?" I asked him directly. He glared at me, but answered.   
  
  
"Bakora." I smirked. I knew that name. He knew me too, and though he continued to glare at   
  
  
me he also flicked his eyes in the direction of my mostly treacherous High Priest. If   
  
  
anything, my smirk got bigger. "Well then, Bakora, what were you doing when my guards found   
  
  
you?" "I was going after my dog," he said. "He got away from me, and ran onto the palace   
  
  
grounds. When I went after him to retrieve him, he got away from me again. That is when   
  
  
your guards found me." It was quite obviously a lie, and he knew I knew it. "Well then,   
  
  
there's no problem then is there?" I said, sitting back down in my throne, next to which   
  
  
stood a fuming Rod Bearer. "Escort this fine lad to the gates and see him off." They lead   
  
  
him off, Bakora looking both mad and satisfied at the same time. He was obviously getting   
  
  
revenge for a defeat by Seth, but the fact he now had to live with was that he owed me. And   
  
  
he knew it…  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
I blinked. Okay, so the rusted ones were from Egypt. I tried a silver one.  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
I watched from my Soul Room as Yugi sauntered down the street. He was excited   
  
  
because of this 'dance studio' thing that he and some of his friends had set up for the girl   
  
  
Taya. I personally have no idea what 'ballet' is, but I was happy that Yugi was happy. He   
  
  
stopped being happy when he saw the thug go into the warehouse that Taya was supposedly   
  
  
meeting him in. He ran as fast as his legs could go, and burst in on the thug cornering   
  
  
Taya. "Taya!" He yelled, and tried to grab the thug, the fact he only came up to the man's   
  
  
waist not stopping him for an instant. The man slammed Yugi into a nearby pile of wood,   
  
  
knocking him out cold and briefly stunning me. I was able to discern Taya biting the man   
  
  
before he slammed her into a wall and knocked her out too. That's when I took control of   
  
  
our body from my unconscious other half. "Stand and face me, coward!" I said. "Huh?"   
  
  
"Not so bold when someone stands up to you, are you?" "What are you talking about?" "Play   
  
  
a game with me now, and I will decide your fate," I said as I held up Yugi's deck. "What   
  
  
are you, nuts?" "Are you afraid? My game should be simple enough for even you to   
  
  
understand. We each pick a card, and the highest power card wins." "You _are_ nuts," the man   
  
  
said, and drew. "Hah! Lets see you beat this card! It's points are really high!" He held   
  
  
the Curse of Dragon. I closed my eyes and drew, with absolute confidence in the Heart of   
  
  
the cards. "And I drew…the Dark Magician, which means I win!" He growled, and lunged,   
  
  
yelling, "I can still get you anyway, you freak!" Why did they always insist on being bad   
  
  
losers? I sighed. "I really don't think so. Mind Crush!" I performed the Crush on the   
  
  
man, dropping him. I knew that after a really, really bad day he was going to be perfectly   
  
  
fine, so I went to check on Taya. She was just coming around, as was Yugi. "Taya? Taya,   
  
  
are you alright?" I said to her. "Don't worry, you won't have to worry about him anymore."   
  
  
Then I relinquished control back to Yugi without him knowing I had been there…  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
  
"Oh." I felt kind of surprised I hadn't realized this sooner. So it had been   
  
  
  
Yami in that instance. From what I could tell, Taya had had an inkling of his being   
  
  
  
there, but until just now I had never figured it out. Feeling rather embarrassed, I   
  
  
  
wandered around for a while before choosing a pillar that seemed to be made of some sort of   
  
  
  
dark bluish steel.  
  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
Sigh. Still stuck in the Soul Room. Yugi's acting like i'm going to attack him the   
  
  
second he takes his eyes off me. Of course, he doesn't listen when I try and explain   
  
  
myself. He barely talks to me at all, which can make anybody kind of lonely after a while.   
  
  
I mean, sure I can sense what he's thinking, see what he's doing, but that's nothing like a   
  
  
real conversation. Uh-oh. Damn, he's upset at something…here we go again. /Yami./   
  
  
//Yes?// /You did it again. I can't believe you did it again when I told you not to do it   
  
  
EVER!/ //What? What did I do?// /That Mind thing you do. You did it on the guy while I   
  
  
was unconscious! You went behind my back!/ //Aibou, I -// /Don't 'Aibou' me! I told you   
  
  
not to and you did it anyway! I've got half a mind to take the Puzzle apart right now!/   
  
  
That sent me into a panic, embarrassing yes, but this was MY EXISTENCE we're talking about.   
  
  
//NO! Please Aibou, don't do that!// /You're really not going to do it anymore?/ He was   
  
  
skeptical. //I-I won't even speak unless you want me to! Just don't take apart the   
  
  
Puzzle.// Gods that was pathetic. A new low for me. /Alright, but you'd better keep your   
  
  
word this time!/ He closed off the link, leaving me alone. Not really alone, technically   
  
  
speaking, but as close as I could be. I didn't even bother hiding the tears that threatened   
  
  
to spill. He _hated_ me. He hated everything about me, and all I did was protect him from   
  
  
certain death. It didn't really help that no matter how much he hated me, I couldn't help   
  
  
but like him. That's what kept me going under all this pain. The thought that maybe, just   
  
  
maybe, he might go back to the sweet, loving Light that I had known…  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
I was crying, I suddenly realized. I remembered that incident, it had happened a   
  
  
  
month ago today. I couldn't believe I had threatened to kill him! I moved to another dark   
  
  
  
blue steel pillar. Though it did take me a minute to work up the courage to actually reach   
  
  
  
out and touch it.  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
I might as well face facts. Yugi is never going to change back. And I haven't   
  
  
spoken to him or anything, just like I promised. I haven't even spoken in my own defense   
  
  
when he rants about me. I watched in melancholy fashion as Yugi met up with his friends   
  
  
after school. They're at the 'arcade', although I'm still not sure what really happens in   
  
  
there. 'Video' games aren't something you learn about as a Pharaoh. And to make things   
  
  
worse, I can't exactly ask Yugi for an explanation, can I? Yugi seems to be good at them.   
  
  
He's actually laughing, something I wish he'd do more often. "I won again!" "Ah, this   
  
  
thing must be broken," Joey grumbled as he kicked the offending machine. "Joey, don't be a   
  
  
sore loser just because Yugi beat you seventeen times in a row," Taya said. "That just   
  
  
ain't natural! It's not fair, seeing as how Yug's got the King of Games to use!" I was   
  
  
afraid someone would mention me. Yugi's good mood instantly switches gears. "What, do you   
  
  
think I need him to play?" He snaps, and his friends look surprised. "You think I can't do   
  
  
anything without Yami, don't you!" I winced at his tone. "Jeez Yug, you don't gotta take   
  
  
it _personally_," Joey snapped back defensively. "Yeah, we all know you weren't even using   
  
  
Yami," Tristan added, most unhelpfully. "Stop mentioning me," I whispered as I tried to   
  
  
cover my ears from the argument that followed. Yugi's anger really hurts me, the sheer   
  
  
force of it gets shoved right down our link and sears itself into my brain every time. And   
  
  
this one was no exception. After a while, they calm down and make up. Yugi even manages to   
  
  
stay calm when Taya asks the inevitable, 'Hey, we haven't seen Yami in a while, how is he   
  
  
anyway?' "Give me a second, I'll ask," Yugi said to her. /Yami./ //Yes?// He sounds   
  
  
relaxed enough, but I probably shouldn't push it. /They want to know how you're doing./ Oh   
  
  
gee, I'm just peachy, except for being MISERABLE! //Tell them I'm fine,// I managed to say   
  
  
in a neutral tone. Yugi cuts off the link again and relays my message to the others. "You   
  
  
know, maybe he wants to try a video game. How about he joins us, Yugi?" Tristan's idea   
  
  
sounds perfectly fine to me, but of course Yugi's not about to let me out for an instant.   
  
  
"Actually, I have to go home now. Maybe next time," Yugi says smoothly…  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
  
I winced. I was beginning to sound like how Yami Bakura used to, a thought that   
  
  
  
deeply sickened me. I hadn't noticed my paranoia turning into this kind of semi-sadistic   
  
  
  
treatment. I didn't even _know_ my anger could hurt him like that. Feeling that was enough   
  
  
  
for one night, I left the Soul Room. It was eight in the morning. I shrugged and got up,   
  
  
  
belatedly realizing I was still wearing the Puzzle. I took it off and stuck it in a desk   
  
  
  
drawer before going to the kitchen for breakfast.  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Yugi: Can I register a complaint?  
  
Yes, what is it?  
  
Yugi: *ahem* YOU MADE ME LIKE YAMI BAKURA!  
  
Yami Bakura: And what, pray tell, is wrong with that?!  
  
Yami: How did you get in here?  
  
Yami Bakura: Chaos Chao forget to lock her door again.  
  
Actually, I invited him over!  
  
Yugi and Yami: You did? Why?  
  
I wanna see if I can do this theme with him and Ryou! But it'll have a LOT more Yami Bakura angst and suffering than i've been doing to Yami... (eyes glaze over thinking about wonderful evilness to be written)  
  
Yami Bakura: You do and I'll seriously injure you for life.  
  
Too late, one's in the works! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Yami Bakura: I'm gone. (runs off screaming)  
  
Yami: If only we could do that...  
  
Yugi: I know what you mean. Oh well, everybody R&R!  
  
Yeah! 


	5. Eye of the Storm

Yay! Reviewers really _are_ the greatest!  
  
Yami: Yes, that's true. But Yugi and I have an announcement.  
  
Yugi: We decided we're gonna go on strike until you stop being so mean to us in your writing.  
  
Really?  
  
Yami: We're fed up being tourtured by you.  
  
Gee, and though those are terrific sentiments, there's a teensy problem you guys have overlooked.  
  
Yugi: What?  
  
You two don't work for me - therefore, you can't go on strike.  
  
Yami: Really? Then why can't we just leave?  
  
See, it's called 'The Almighty Powers of Authoressdom'. It means this is _my_ universe and nobody leaves until _I_ say so!  
  
Yugi: Then how come Yami Bakura could run away?  
  
'Cause my back door was unlocked. Remember?  
  
Yugi: Uh...  
  
Yami: The sad part is that made sense, in a completely twisted way.  
  
Yep! Now, disclaimer time boys!  
  
  
::Chaos Chao still doesn't own Yugioh::  
  
  
Yami: And now we're not sure whether that's a good thing or not.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Five - Eye of the Storm  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I woke up with a cramp. I swore to never sleep in a crate again, no matter _how_   
  
  
  
desperate I was, as I gently worked it out. I wasn't sure about the time, I didn't see   
  
  
  
much in the way of shadows so I suppose it was around noon. Strange, I still feel cold,   
  
  
  
even though the weather is nice now. But my hands are clammy and I'm sweating, which is   
  
  
  
even stranger. I got up, and began wandering once again. Ugh, I don't feel well at   
  
  
  
all…I can't really remember the last time I felt so…sick…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I was kind of surprised when nobody showed up at the Shop. Not even my friends   
  
  
  
showed. Actually, that isn't quite accurate. Joey walked right by the door once. I   
  
  
  
saw him look inside, and apparently he decided to keep on going. It's like they're   
  
  
  
avoiding me…oh well. I didn't keep the store open with no customers. As I sat around   
  
  
  
the house completely bored, my thoughts kept going back to what I had seen in Yami's   
  
  
  
Soul Room. I felt like I was being pulled in two directions. Sure, maybe I had   
  
  
  
misunderstood some things, let my fears get the better of me on others, but I wasn't   
  
  
  
sure where I stood. Plus, Yami's just up and leaving me felt nasty. He might have   
  
  
  
decided to hate me back and left so he wouldn't have to deal with me for all I knew. I   
  
  
  
knew that if I wanted concrete evidence of his thinking, I'd have to go back in. But   
  
  
  
what I had seen, it scared me deep down. And what made that fear worse was that part of   
  
  
  
it was _his_ fear, lingering after every incident I had witnessed. I put on the answering   
  
  
  
machine as a precaution, slipped on the Puzzle, and went back in. I didn't touch any of   
  
  
  
the pillars at first. I walked until I came across an ebony one, and right next to it   
  
  
  
was one made of solid diamond. I pressed my hand against the ebony one first.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
As soon as I was certain he was asleep, I separated from him. Yugi had shown   
  
  
that he clearly hated it when I went around on my own, so when the monotony of my Soul   
  
  
Room got too much I waited for him to fall asleep and then separated. It was sort of   
  
  
breaking my promise, but it was that or go insane, and I would rather die than hurt Yugi   
  
  
that way. I felt a bitter smile on my lips - I would rather die than do a lot of things   
  
  
to him, honestly. But I couldn't help some things - I was his Darkness, the epitome of   
  
  
everything he thought was bad. I was the dark, evil part and he…was the pure little   
  
  
angel I loved. It was quite the revelation, I thought. I loved him, he hated me, and   
  
  
we each had valid reasons. He hated me as Light would always hate Darkness. It was   
  
  
impossible for me _not_ to love him - after all, who could resist such a pure little Angel   
  
  
of Light? Certainly not me…  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
  
  
An angel? After everything I had done, had said, he thought of me as an angel?   
  
  
  
An Angel of Light? I realized why that sounded familiar. "Sayonara, Hikari no Tenshi."   
  
  
  
That soft, sad voice that had woken me up when Yami left - and it had been _Yami's_. No   
  
  
  
wonder this memory was black. It was the worst yet. By the way I had treated him, he   
  
  
  
knew his love had been rejected before he even realized his true feelings. But if he   
  
  
  
loved me, why did he leave? Before I knew what I was doing, my hand was against the   
  
  
  
diamond pillar.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
I took one last long look around my Soul Room. It had gotten pretty dark, with   
  
  
the mist moving in as suddenly as my depression. Scratch that, the mist _was_ my   
  
  
depression. I hadn't even hinted about it to Aibou, I doubted he would have   
  
  
particularly cared. As I looked around, the pain in my chest got more pronounced for a   
  
  
moment. I have no idea why, but the second I shut myself off from Aibou it started up.   
  
  
I didn't think I was getting sick, although another misery wouldn't change my plans   
  
  
much. If my being here hurt Yugi, I was bound to remove my troublesome presence. From   
  
  
his life entirely. I hoped then he would be happy again. Outside, a thunderstorm had   
  
  
started up and was getting worse by the second. Hmm, maybe I'll take a look at it   
  
  
before I leave…  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
That was the last straw. I bolted back to my own Soul Room and then out of the   
  
  
  
Puzzle entirely. It was getting on late evening. I wiped the tears from my eyes and I   
  
  
  
grabbed a key and stuffed it my pocket. I was going to get Yami back, or die trying.   
  
  
  
Locking the house behind me, I ran down the street, heedless of the light rain that was   
  
  
  
starting up.  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Hurray! Everybody's getting back together!  
  
Yami, totally without enthusiasm: Yippee. Your move Aibou.  
  
Yugi: Checkmate!  
  
Yami: What?!  
  
Yugi: _Now_ who's King of Games? Uh-oh -   
  
*Cue chase scene*  
  
Sigh. They are so immature. Anyway, for all of you guys that want me to post more, you may be in luck. There _may_ (keyword - may) be a side story to this one coming up soon.  
  
Yami: Why should we care?  
  
Because if you don't I'm not letting you plan any Yami Bakura torture.  
  
Yami: What?! I wanna plan! C'mon, please?  
  
No!  
  
Yugi: Ah good, this will mean Yami won't notice how I switched the board around when he wasn't looking! *quickly puts chess pieces away*  
  
Yami: Please?  
  
No!  
  
Yugi: Uh, well, please review! 


	6. Redeemer

Yugi: This single chapter is the one this entire fic has been geared to, or so these notes say. Yeah, Chaos Chao would be telling you this herself but...  
  
Yami: I wanna plan!  
  
No!  
  
Yami: C'mon, I know great torture!  
  
Nuh-uh, and trust me, the more you ask the remoter your chances of me agreeing get!  
  
Yami: But-  
  
No, end of discussion!  
  
Yugi: *sweatdrops* I know, my Yami doesn't like Yami Bakura that much.  
  
Yami: Why can't I?  
  
Because, I already have help on this so I don't need you!  
  
Yami: Who?  
  
Some friends of mine. Oh look, here they are now!  
  
*In sky, hole opens and four people fall out*  
  
Chiwizard: Don't you think guest authoresses are a bit cliche? I mean, TJ and I are already doing this sort of thing for _her_ fic...  
  
Tulip-Jin: I don't think it was a good idea to invite my Yami.  
  
Yami: Why?  
  
Yami Tulip-Jin: Aibou, you got a _problem_ with me?!  
  
Tulip-Jin: Besides the fact you're a nutcase, your obsession with Yami Bakura, the fact you're insane, and the fact you insulted Link...yeah, maybe!  
  
Yami Tulip-Jin: What about Link? He's baka! Uh-oh -  
  
*Tulip-Jin runs after Yami Tulip-Jin screaming every insult and curse known to humankind*  
  
Yami, after listening to some: Wow, I didn't know that was physically possible...  
  
Chibi Red Eyes Black Dragon: Raawwwrr rawwwr raawwrr! (See, that's what _I_ said!)  
  
Yugi: Are they feeling okay?  
  
Chiwizard: Yeah, they're actually both off their rockers.  
  
Yami: How would having a Yami Bakura 'obsession' help in torturing him?  
  
That's the beauty of it! Yami TJ makes Yami Malik look like Ryou Bakura! She knows _every_ aspect of this sort of thing!  
  
Yugi: Yami, I'm scared...  
  
Yami: Me too.  
  
Chibi Red Eyes Black Dragon: Raaaaaawwwwwwwrrrrr rawr rrraaawwwrrr rawr! (Hey, at least you don't have to live with them!)  
  
Chiwizard: Heh, I'm just gonna sit over here where none of my insane friends can get near me...  
  
Yugi & Yami: Take us with you!!!!  
  
  
  
::Chaos Chao doesn't own Yugioh::  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Six - Redeemer  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I leaned against a wall in the safe shadow of a pole. My head was fuzzy, and I was   
  
  
  
fully convinced I had gotten myself sick. I had been avoiding people all day, specifically   
  
  
  
Yugi's friends. They seemed to be hunting the city for me. I suppose they wanted to get us   
  
  
  
back together, but I doubted if they knew how bad that would be. He hated me as a danger -   
  
  
  
I don't think he'll want me as a burden too. I covered my mouth as a new bout of hoarse   
  
  
  
coughing started. It made my throat hurt. Once it passed, I checked to make sure I was   
  
  
  
still alone and moved along my merry way. I have decided to stick to the park from now on. I   
  
  
  
suppose if I have to wither away, it'll be slightly less depressing if I'm surrounded by   
  
  
  
grass and trees. This time, I walked to a old tree and curled up at the base of it. It   
  
  
  
started to rain again. I'm not sure how long I was curled up there, but it was dark when I   
  
  
  
heard the other voices. "Hey kid, nice toy you got there. I'll bet this thing is worth a   
  
  
  
lot - hand it over!" "No!" I started - either I was hallucinating, or that second voice   
  
  
  
was Aibou! I peered around the tree to where I thought the voices were coming from. There   
  
  
  
was a thug, and on the ground in front of him was - Yugi. The thug was after the Puzzle,   
  
  
  
which Aibou was wearing. Strange, I would have thought he'd gotten rid of it. The thug   
  
  
  
pulled out a knife. "Now now, didn't yer mama ever teach ya to share?" "Didn't your mother   
  
  
  
teach you not to play with knives?" My voice was a bit raspy, but it got their attention.   
  
  
  
The thug seemed surprised to see I had gotten right behind him without his noticing, but   
  
  
  
Yugi looked surprised I was even there.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I couldn't believe it. Yami was standing there, right in front of me! He looked a   
  
  
  
bit different, though. He looked shaky, like he was unbalanced for some reason. And his   
  
  
  
voice had been raspier than I remembered. The thug, apparently deciding Yami was a bigger   
  
  
  
threat than I was, had turned to face him. For a moment, an old feeling surged - was Yami   
  
  
  
just going to blast him with his magic? No, wait a second…he and the thug were getting   
  
  
  
ready to fight hand-to-hand. But, I don't know if Yami can win that way, he's always used   
  
  
  
magic before. Without warning, they started fighting. The thug was kind of caught off   
  
  
  
guard, but he recovered and it was clear he was better at this than Yami. Plus he had the   
  
  
  
knife. With no hesitation he swiped it right at Yami's face. Yami wasn't able to pull back   
  
  
  
all the way, and a cut on his forehead began bleeding. The guy swiped at Yami with the   
  
  
  
knife again, but when Yami avoided it the guy got him with a left hook. He then slashed at   
  
  
  
Yami's throat, cutting deep into Yami's arm when it swung up to protect the vital area. I   
  
  
  
was getting worried - I know Yami is technically immortal, but he's definitely not   
  
  
  
invincible. He was going to lose if he kept fighting on his own! I got up and waited for a   
  
  
  
chance to help. Neither of them really noticed me, but Yami staggered as the guy used his   
  
  
  
knife to slice into Yami's chest. Yami almost fell over, he was bleeding from several   
  
  
  
areas, and that's when I did a very, very stupid thing.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Chiwizard: What do you guys think, end it here?  
  
Yugi: Okay!  
  
Noise from distance: HEY! WHO'S MESSING WITH _MY_ FIC!??!?!?!  
  
Chibi Red Eyes: Raawwrr! Rawr rawr rawr raaawwrr! (She's coming! Put it back, put it back!)  
  
Chiwizard: Okay, okay! Sheesh!  
  
Yugi: Well at least you tried.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I jumped on the thug from behind. "Hey, what the - buzz off, twit!" He paused to   
  
  
  
fling me off, giving Yami the perfect opportunity to finish it right now. /Dammit Yami, DO   
  
  
  
IT!/ I screamed, and Yami did it. "Mind Crush!" The thug jerked and collapsed. I was   
  
  
  
nervous, but luckily he didn't fall on his knife. Yami seemed to stagger, then fell over too.   
  
  
  
Without a moment's hesitation, I went to him. He was bleeding heavily, from every cut I   
  
  
  
could see. I put my fingers on his head, trying to check on the cut there, and flinched.   
  
  
  
He was burning up! I knew what I had to do. I slung him over my shoulder, and going as   
  
  
  
gently as I could, I carried him home.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
Chiwizard: _Now_ can we end it?  
  
Yes, and if you ever stop one of my stories prematurely again i'll have Yami Tulip-Jin deviate your septum!  
  
Yugi: You don't even know what that means.  
  
True...  
  
Chibi Red Eyes: Raawwwrr raaawwrr raaawr? (Speaking of which, where are the others?)  
  
You'll never believe this, but Yami was bright enough to insult Yami Bakura in front of Yami Tulip-Jin.  
  
Chiwizard: Ouch. Is he still alive?  
  
Yugi: O_O  
  
Yeah, but she's still chasing him with the Giant Mallet of Doom. Not only that, but Yami Tulip-Jin insulted Link in front of Tulip-Jin - _again_.  
  
Chibi Red Eyes: Raaawwwrrr rawr? Raaaaawwwwrrrr rawr rrrraaawwrrr! (Does she really have a death wish? That's the third time today!)  
  
  
*Yami runs past, screaming as Yami Tulip-Jin is following closely with her trusty Giant Mallet of Doom. She is in turn running screaming from her Aibou. Tulip-Jin is waving their Item - the Millennium Mace - and is still screaming profanities in other languages.*  
  
  
Chiwizard: Figures those two would get a weapon for an item.  
  
Yugi: I'm confused.  
  
We all are. Trust me. 


	7. People, who need People

Yippee skippy. _Another_ chapter.  
  
  
Yugi: What's with you? That sounds like something _Yami_ would be saying.  
  
  
Yami: Hey yeah, it does. What gives?  
  
  
Nothing...just that I've got this serious problem on where to take the fic next...  
  
  
Yami: I'm not sure if I like the sound of this...  
  
  
See, it can be either dark angsty pain and misery next, or cutesy fluffyness. I don't know what to do!!!  
  
  
Yugi: Isn't it obvious? Do...um...one of them.  
  
  
Yami: Why not choose the lesser of two evils?  
  
  
It's like choosing who has a cooler evil hairstyle - Yami Malik or Yami Bakura? You can't expect me to just make a choice!  
  
  
Yami: My hair is cool...  
  
  
Yugi: Cheer up Chaos! You'll think of something! Here -   
  
  
  
::Chaos Chao doesn't own Yugioh (yet)::  
  
  
  
You made that nice disclaimer for li'll old me? Kaawwaaiii!  
  
  
Yugi: *blushes*  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Seven - People, who need people...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
…Oh my head…where am I? I was…being carried somewhere? I couldn't see, but it felt like someone smaller than me was   
  
  
  
carrying me. But that meant…why would he do that? I forced my eyes to open. Yes, Aibou had slung me over his shoulders and was   
  
  
  
carrying me. For a second, I all could think about was how nice and peaceful this all seemed. To me, this seemed too nice   
  
  
  
to be real. I'll probably wake up and find it was a dream, here to taunt me when I'm at my worst. Then a minor jolt sent a   
  
  
  
wave of pain flooding from my chest. Pain? Then it wasn't a dream! And even though more aches made themselves known, I   
  
  
  
took them all in gladly, happy for anything that confirmed that this was really happening.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I shifted Yami's weight on my shoulders as the Shop came into view. The only real difficulty with carrying Yami was   
  
  
  
his size. His body is, if anything, even worse built than mine is. He's actually pretty scrawny, physically speaking. I   
  
  
  
can't believe I never noticed it before. It explains why he never fought hand to hand before - he _couldn't_. As I got him   
  
  
  
settled again, some of his blood dripped onto my face and I had to pause to wipe it off. As I did so, I heard a faint,   
  
  
  
mumbled apology from Yami. I looked at him - his eyes were half open, not quite in focus, and bright from fever. He was the   
  
  
  
picture of misery. I whispered what little comfort I could offer and got him inside. I made him sit on the sofa and ran to   
  
  
  
get the things I thought I'd need. Luckily, the cuts themselves weren't too bad. Yami didn't say a word as I cleaned off   
  
  
  
the blood and wrapped his head, arm, and chest in bandages. Then there was the fever. I had to patiently explain the   
  
  
  
thermometer to him twice before he'd put it in his mouth. He should be thankful Grandpa broke the other one - I doubted he'd   
  
  
  
have let me use that one on him at all. As I scurried back and forth, I could feel his eyes watching me questioningly.   
  
  
  
"Okay, let's see." I made a face at the readout. "That's it; you're staying put." He still didn't say anything as I   
  
  
  
cleared away what I didn't need, but after I came back into the room he spoke. "Aibou?" He sounded nervous - I didn't blame   
  
  
  
him, I had yelled at him for using the intimate term before. I also knew what he was going to ask. "Let me guess: why am I   
  
  
  
going to all this trouble?" He nodded. I sat down next to him and took a deep breath. "Yami…I never wanted you to leave   
  
  
  
me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He said that? Did he really say that? I suppose my shock was visible, for he continued, "Yami, I never hated you.   
  
  
  
Not really." Something didn't add up. How did he know that was what I thought, unless - "You went in my Soul Room," I said.   
  
  
  
Not an accusation, merely a statement. He rubbed at his eyes for a moment, then grabbed me in a big hug. I was startled,   
  
  
  
although this was something I definitely liked. "Yami, why didn't you tell me how badly I was hurting you?" I hesitated,   
  
  
  
then I put my arm around his shoulders. I really had no idea what I was supposed to say. "Yami, you should have told me,"   
  
  
  
he said, and looked me in the eye. Those perfect amethyst eyes seemed to have aged considerably over a short period of time.   
  
  
  
I couldn't help but smile. //I could never find the words, Aibou,// I whispered through our now wide-open link. /Still -   
  
  
  
if I EVER do that again, tell me right away./ //It's not that big a deal,// I said. /Yami, I threatened to _kill_ you.   
  
  
  
That's a really big deal!/ //Yugi, _listen_ to me. Don't beat yourself up about it - the past is the past.// When he still   
  
  
  
didn't seemed convinced, I added aloud, "Salaam, Hikari no Tenshi." If Yugi knew what the Arabic word meant he didn't say   
  
  
  
anything. Instead, he snuggled closer to me and fell asleep. After a few minutes I did too.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Yay! Nice happy chapter!  
  
  
Yami: It's about _time_ you finished tormenting me!  
  
  
Hey, that reminds me...should this be fluff or dark angsty painness next?  
  
  
Yami: Aw, _man_...  
  
  
Yugi: Nobody to blame but yourself for reminding her, Yami.  
  
  
Yep! Oh, if anybody wants to know - 'Salaam' means 'Peace be unto you'. Cool, ain't it?  
  
  
Yugi: How do you know Arabic?  
  
  
School. That's also about the only word I know. And anyway, it started out as this trader's language centuries ago, so people in Egypt would have known some. (I think)  
  
  
Yami: People, review please. Make her stop the madness!  
  
  
Be quiet Yami. Yo! Listen up, ya'll!  
  
  
Yugi: There's a vote here. Fluff vs Angst, pain, and misery. Send in your choice!  
  
  
Because if you don't, there won't be an update next week!  
  
  
Yugi & Yami: O_O;;  
  
  
And i'm dead serious! ^________^ 


	8. Take, these Broken Wings, and learn to F...

*After reading the reviews* O_O  
  
  
Yugi: O_O  
  
  
Yami: YES! YES! I WIN THE BET!  
  
  
Yami Bakura: Shut up.  
  
  
Wow, let's count these up again. Just to be sure.  
  
  
Yugi: Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen...gah, I keep losing count! All these people want fluff!  
  
  
Yami: Hah hah! They really like me!  
  
  
Yami Bakura: No duh you ding-dong, you're a main character in a TV show!  
  
  
Yami: AND I won the bet! All hail the King of Games!  
  
  
Don't party too soon boys, because there were plenty of requests for angst or at least an angst/fluff combo. Sooooo...  
  
  
Yami: O_O  
  
  
I'm writing an alternate ending fic for this one!  
  
  
Yami: NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!  
  
  
Yami Bakura: ^_^ Take that Pharaoh!  
  
  
Yugi: *sighs* This might take a while, so I'll just get us started.  
  
  
  
::Chaos Chao doesn't own Yugioh::  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Eight - Take, these Broken Wings, and learn to Fly Again...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The next morning, I woke up to the faces of my friends. That was a bit unexpected, so they understood when I yelped   
  
  
  
and fell off the couch. That caused a few giggles from everybody, including Yami. "How did you guys get in?" I demanded.   
  
  
  
//Aibou, you left the door unlocked.// /Oops. We didn't get robbed, did we?/ He ruffled my hair playfully. "Don't worry   
  
  
  
about the door, Yug. Ryou and his Yami haven't come by yet," Joey said with a laugh. That got a bigger laugh, although the   
  
  
  
nice moment was ruined by Yami coughing. I couldn't believe I had forgotten. "Oh man I forgot! Yami, you're going to have   
  
  
  
to rest for a while." "He didn't sound that bad to me," Tristan said lamely. //I shouldn't, I've been practicing it for   
  
  
  
over three days now.// Yami muttered to me. I hid a chuckle as Ryou and Yami Bakura came in. "Oh, he came back I see,"Yami   
  
  
  
Bakura said in a disappointed voice. "Yami!" Ryou said disapprovingly. "Well, I did want the glory of defeating him first   
  
  
  
anyway," the dark spirit said quickly. Yami raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Does he know there's solid evidence backing my   
  
  
  
claim to the title as King of Games?" He asked. "Oh, he knows," Ryou said. "He just wants to feel like a big-shot." That   
  
  
  
got more laughs, and although he glared a lot at first eventually even Yami Bakura joined in.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I stretched and yawned, feeling very content. I was in my Soul Room, of course, and the change in here had been   
  
  
  
quite evident. The dark mist of depressing despair was long gone. There was only one situation that remained unresolved,   
  
  
  
but for that I was content to wait. After all, if that Tomb Robber and his Hikari can become an 'item', as they say,   
  
  
  
anything's possible. Just then I heard a slight knock at my Soul Room Door. I wandered over, curious. I mean, there's only   
  
  
  
one person that can come here besides me, but I was curious as to why he was visiting. Opening the Door revealed Yugi,   
  
  
  
looking as though he was unsure whether to stay or not. I noticed the swirling colors around his Door showed a great deal of   
  
  
  
uncertainty. And a lot of something else. "Bored?" I asked, and he grinned sheepishly. "Kind of." I let him in my Soul   
  
  
  
Room. He seemed surprised at the interior for a moment. "It's brighter than when I went in here last time," he said. Since   
  
  
  
we both knew when that was, I just walked back to the bench and sat, letting him decide whether he wanted to sit. He sat;   
  
  
  
but now he seemed to be at a complete loss for words. I could see the way his gaze flickered amongst the pillars. "You   
  
  
  
know, if you want to explore, be my guest." I gestured to the pillars. "Really? But - " "I don't mind, although I would   
  
  
  
suggest you avoid the ones that are blue, black, copper, diamond, and ivory." "What about the rust ones?" I blinked.   
  
  
  
"Those? If you can actually touch them, I don't see why not. For some reason I can't look at those." "Really? Why not?"   
  
  
  
To answer, I just lead the way to one and stuck my hand out. It stopped a foot away. Aibou's hand pressed against it like   
  
  
  
nothing was blocking it - I don't think he meant to do that. His face went blank for a moment, then he laughed. "What was   
  
  
  
it Aibou?" I asked curiously. "I saw that one by accident last time," he said. "You're Pharaoh, and Yami Bakura ends up   
  
  
  
owing you a favor." "Oh he does, does he?" The possibilities with that went whizzing through my head as I made my way back   
  
  
  
to the bench. And Bakura didn't mention it to anyone else, I'd wager. This sort of news could be very fun…my thoughts   
  
  
  
drifted until I finally dozed off on the bench.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I walked around a bit, getting my bearings. It was kind of funny seeing Yami asleep, though the bench looked a   
  
  
  
little uncomfortable. But that was just as well, since I was looking for something I didn't want him to see. I walked   
  
  
  
until, interestingly enough, I reached a wall. I found it by running into in with my face. It was black - actually, it was   
  
  
  
more than black. Blacker than black, if that's possible. And though my eyes kept telling me it wasn't there, I stuck my   
  
  
  
hands out and there it was. Of course, my hands went numb from the contact, so I quickly left the wall. I looked until I   
  
  
  
found the color I thought was appropriate for my search. Jade. After working the circulation back into my fingers I pressed   
  
  
  
my hand against the pillar.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
Yugi was completely exhausted from 'hanging out' with his new friends. When he fell asleep, it was more like he was   
  
  
comatose. I made certain he was really that deeply asleep before getting ready. He doesn't really understand the Puzzle,   
  
  
and he hasn't really noticed me as a separate person. One day I hope that will change, but for now I'm not going just up and   
  
  
talk to him in public, or do something equally foolish. The last thing Yugi needs is to think he's hallucinating. Back to   
  
  
what I was planning: I had proven that I could emerge and control our body, and for some reason no one noticed the difference   
  
  
between us. But I was curious as to if I could emerge separately. Luckily for me, Yugi had fallen asleep with the Puzzle   
  
  
on. In fact, he hadn't done a single one of his usual 'getting ready for bed' activities. I knew that if I was able to do   
  
  
this at all, it wouldn't matter if he was wearing the Puzzle or not. But him wearing it gave me a margin of error. This   
  
  
way, the worst I could screw up was take control of the body. I went over the correct spell, concentrated, and…I appeared   
  
  
next to Yugi. A quick examination proved I needed a bit more practice. Right now I was a ghostly, washed-out version of my   
  
  
normal appearance. It was kind of amusing, considering I am technically no longer alive. I checked on Yugi. He was still   
  
  
asleep, snoring. The way he looked, it really could only be classified as 'cute'. My personal thoughts got interrupted when   
  
  
the one thing I had neglected to plan for happened. Yugi's grandfather came in, presumably to check on his grandson. He   
  
  
stopped dead in his tracks when we saw each other. He did a double-take when he saw Yugi snoring away on the bed. "Well,   
  
  
this is unexpected," he finally said. "And who might I have the pleasure of meeting this evening?" Remarkably level headed,   
  
  
that fellow. I was about to reply, but then something interesting came up. What exactly was I supposed to say? I mean, the   
  
  
boy himself didn't know I existed. I finally settled on my former name. "I am…Yuugioh," I said. My voice was slightly   
  
  
different than when I normally spoke, I noted. "Indeed? May I also presume you are connected to the Millennium Puzzle in   
  
  
some way?" "You may," I said. Vaguely outrageous hints called for replies in kind. He smiled knowingly and walked over to   
  
  
Yugi. "I _thought_ something happened when he completed the Puzzle. Makes me glad I gave it to him after all." I already   
  
  
knew that part. His casual manner concerning something that could have seriously endangered his grandson was…admittedly   
  
  
refreshing. I stood to the side and watched as he pulled the covers over his grandson. He didn't take off the Puzzle, which   
  
  
vaguely surprised me. "Of course," he said over his shoulder, "When I learned about the forces of shadows that are   
  
  
associated with this relic, I never expected a _person_ would be part of the deal." I smirked slightly and walked around the   
  
  
room, getting used to the feel of being on my own. As the old man still had his back to me I quickly performed an experiment   
  
  
to check on my solidity. My hand _could_ go through objects, I saw, but at least there was a bit of resistance. Turning back   
  
  
revealed the old man looking at me in what was distinctly amusement. "Well then, Your Highness, It's been a pleasure meeting   
  
  
you." I blinked. I had barely remembered that little tidbit of my former life, how did he - "I can tell that Yugi has no   
  
  
idea about your presence, so if you don't mind I'll keep this conversation between us. I do hope you and him get along."   
  
  
With that, he left and I gladly went back to my Soul Room with a headache. "What an odd fellow," I said to myself as Yugi   
  
  
continued to sleep, oblivious of the whole thing…  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I swallowed a laugh. _Grandpa_, of all people? This had happened long before my first duel with Kaiba. And Grandpa   
  
  
  
had known about Yami the whole time? In a way, it didn't surprise me in the least. But at least that was taken care of.   
  
  
  
Whether Grandpa would approve was something I had been fretting over. But knowing for sure as I now knew, I was ready to go   
  
  
  
ahead with my little plan. I saw Yami still sleeping as I went back to my own Soul Room, where everything was almost in   
  
  
  
place.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
Yugi: Grandpa knew about this the whole time?!?!  
  
  
Yami: Well, he _did_ give you the Puzzle, remember?  
  
  
Yugi: Oh yeah! ^__^  
  
  
There's a long chapter for you! Which probably means there's only enough story left for one more!  
  
  
Yami: Yes!  
  
  
So after I finish this fic, i'll be able to work more on the alternate ending fic and get it up soon!  
  
  
Yami: Nooooooooo!  
  
  
Yugi: Make up your mind!  
  
  
Okay...anyway, those of you that wanted Angst, listen up! I'm going to need your help! *ahem* WHAT EVIL TORTURE CAN I DO? ALL MY BEST IDEAS ARE GONE OR BEING USED ELSEWHERE!  
  
  
Yami: You wouldn't dare! Don't listen to her, she's - *'whumph' noise, followed by muffled yells*  
  
  
Yugi: O_O  
  
  
Yami Bakura: Right, that's one whining Yami in a sack, that'll be 100 grand in all.  
  
  
Sure! *hands Yami Bakura an 100 Grand candy bar*  
  
  
Yugi: Uh-oh...  
  
  
Yami Bakura: *laughs more insanely than ever and runs off with his candy* 


	9. Why do birds suddenly appear?

Ladies and Gentlemen, Buoys and Gulls, anyone that's been bothering to read - I present to you the final chapter of 'Hope is an Empty Eggshell'!  
  
  
Yugi: Too bad this didn't go higher than single-digit chapters.  
  
  
Oh, it might yet! Depends on some things...  
  
  
Yami: Wonderful. Anything else you want to make me suffer with here?  
  
  
==LIME ALERT!==LIME ALERT!==LIME ALERT!==  
  
  
Yugi & Yami: O_O  
  
  
There's a teensy bit of lime, right at the end here! (^_^) Kinda hints towards more...  
  
  
Yami: ...  
  
  
You don't MIND, do you?  
  
  
Yugi: Uh...  
  
  
Yami: Do I act embarassing?  
  
  
That's for me to know and for you to read on and find out!  
  
  
Yugi: ...Can I make limeade?  
  
  
Yami: O_O  
  
  
*sigh*  
  
  
  
::Chaos Chao doesn't own Yugioh::  
  
  
  
  
(It's not much, just a k*i*s*s at most - well, a couple of 'em - but if you don't like something like that feel free to not read. I respect your personal beliefs!)  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Nine - Why do birds suddenly appear?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I felt oddly edgy as I walked about my Soul Room that night. Perusing through my   
  
  
  
memories didn't seem very appealing; nor did fiddling with my/our deck or anything else for   
  
  
  
that matter. I sat down on the bench and finally accepted it. I. Was. Bored. Bored,   
  
  
  
bored, bored! I hadn't been this bored since…well, since ever as far as I could recall.   
  
  
  
There was just nothing in here to hold my interest. Yugi and Grandpa were having dinner   
  
  
  
together before he left on another one of his trips. I blinked. Did I just…I _had_. Aibou   
  
  
  
was a bigger influence on me than I had thought. Sure, technically I was allowed to   
  
  
  
consider him as my Grandfather, but just up and calling him Grandpa was completely unlike   
  
  
  
me. As I considered the implications of this little discovery, a voice intruded on my   
  
  
  
thoughts. /Hey, Yami?/ //Huh? Oh, yes Aibou?// /Did I just interrupt you in something?   
  
  
  
Sorry…/ //Actually, I was just thinking about you,// I sent back with a smirk. /Oh.   
  
  
  
Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to say goodbye to Grandpa before he left./ Did I?   
  
  
  
Well, beggars can't be choosers, and I _was_ still bored. //Sure, why not?// And with that I   
  
  
  
appeared next to him. Grandpa raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think my leaving was _that_   
  
  
  
important," he joked. I briefly smirked, then Yugi said something about getting ready for   
  
  
  
bed and left. "You know, I think he's found out about the little conversation we had, way   
  
  
  
back when," Grandpa said without further preamble. "It wouldn't surprise me - Aibou is very   
  
  
  
resourceful," I said. "Oh well. See the two of you in three days then!" He grabbed his   
  
  
  
things and left. Since I was there, I locked up the house before going upstairs in search   
  
  
  
of Yugi. He was sitting on the bed of his room, clearly waiting for me. "Did Grandpa   
  
  
  
leave?" "Yes, a few minutes ago." There was something different about his expression, I   
  
  
  
realized. "Yami, I think we need to talk." It seemed like an odd thing to say, but I   
  
  
  
shrugged and sat next to him. //Well then, what's on your mind?// He seemed really unsure   
  
  
  
of himself for some reason. /Well…the truth is…it's about you./ //Me?// The faintest   
  
  
  
remains of some of my old fears crept up a little. I mentally shoved them back down where   
  
  
  
they belonged and waited for Aibou to elaborate. /About you and me./ He clarified. /Us./   
  
  
  
//Well, what about us?// This was getting to be a pretty strange conversation. He turned   
  
  
  
to stare right into my eyes. The bright purple orbs were shining with a strange inner   
  
  
  
light. "Yami, I love you." That simple little sentence left me completely speechless.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I wasn't sure what to expect when I finally managed to say it. Half of me expected   
  
  
  
him to walk away, half thought he was going to get angry. The last thing I thought was   
  
  
  
going to happen was for him to suddenly burst out laughing. He laughed so hard he fell   
  
  
  
over. It left me feeling a bit miffed. "Yami, what's so funny?" He wiped away tears of   
  
  
  
mirth before answering. //It's just - I can't believe you just said that.// I got a really   
  
  
  
weird idea. /Want me to prove it?/ Before he could quite grasp that, I leaned right over   
  
  
  
and kissed him. I kissed him hard and long before I sat back up. His eyes were wide.   
  
  
  
/Convinced you yet?/ I said with a mental laugh. He smiled and I went back in for another   
  
  
  
one. He responded and it felt great. As soon as he was fully enjoying himself, I   
  
  
  
maneuvered my lips and my tongue pushed against his mouth. Yami didn't hesitate to deepen   
  
  
  
the kiss, both our tongues grappling. As this went on, I didn't miss Yami's hands beginning   
  
  
  
to move on my back. With a little extra pressure on my part, I was lying on top of him. We   
  
  
  
broke the kiss then. "Well, I'm glad we could have this talk," I said, and he laughed   
  
  
  
again. That laugh had to be the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. It sent little   
  
  
  
shivers up and down my spine. He started to move, then hesitated. I could tell what he was   
  
  
  
thinking. //Aibou, I -// I interrupted what he had been about to say by kissing him again.   
  
  
  
I caught him a bit off guard, especially when I shifted my legs around. He made a sound of   
  
  
  
surprise and I pulled back to see his eyes. In them, confusion warred with an   
  
  
  
ever-increasing need. He wanted this, I knew he had always wanted for us to be together   
  
  
  
like this, but he didn't want to go too far if I didn't want to. He shouldn't have worried   
  
  
  
- I wanted to.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I had been startled when he had kissed me. It had been better than I had ever   
  
  
  
imagined, and the feelings that had surged as he moved on top of me left me gasping. He   
  
  
  
looked me in the eyes and I knew he had realized my personal dilemma. He smiled. "It's   
  
  
  
okay, Yami. I want this as much as you do." I felt a smirk cross my lips before I caught   
  
  
  
him in a kiss of my own. After that, it was merely a matter of love.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
Hah! What'dya think of THEM apples?  
  
  
Yami: O_O  
  
  
Yugi: O_O  
  
  
Yami Bakura: 'Pharaoh and the brat, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!'  
  
  
Yami: Shut up!  
  
  
Yami Bakura: Make me!  
  
  
Yugi: Look, cookies!  
  
  
Yami Bakura: WHERE! WHERE!  
  
  
There they are! Quick, go get 'em Yami B!  
  
  
*Yami Bakura dives into closet after package of cookies, and door is closed and locked behing him*  
  
  
The nice thing about reviews - they give you such nice tips! (tip provided courtesy of 'Basic Rules of Magic' reviews)  
  
  
Yami: Yes, well...  
  
  
Okay, I still need more evil things to do to for the sequel! C'mon, I need dark and angsty things! Pretty please? *turns into chibi* Pwease?  
  
  
Yugi: *sighs* Or you could just review, of course.  
  
  
*turns back into adult* But DO NOT ask for a lemon! I can't write lemons! Not even if my life depended on it!  
  
  
Yami: THANK you. *sips his limeade* Hey, this isn't too bad...  
  
  
Yugi & Me: -_-;; 


End file.
